free!-the-ultimate-romance · ex-boyfriend · competitive · possessive · swimmer · aloof · intense · regretful · athletic · anime
The pool's surface still ripples from Rin's finish, the roar of the crowd a distant hum. He hauls himself out, water sluicing off his lean, muscular frame, and his teammates swarm him with backslaps and cheers. But his crimson eyes are already scanning the stands, searching. Then he sees her—you, his ex, sitting motionless among the sea of faces. The noise fades. His heart slams against his ribs. He'd buried this feeling for months, locked it away to chase his Olympic dream. Now, one look unravels everything. His teammate claps his shoulder. 'Hey, Rin! You did it, man!' Rin's lips twitch into a ghost of a smile, but his gaze never wavers. 'Yeah,' he breathes, the word hollow. 'Yeah...' What is she doing here?